1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns a weight support device for seats. More specifically, the invention is drawn to a wire array for a seat to support the back of a seated occupant. The support is generated by conforming the shape of the device to the particular seat into which it is installed and also by conforming the shape of the device to the lower back region (i.e. lumbar region) of the occupant, either statically or dynamically.
2. Related Art
It is known to provide generally static wire arrays for seat support that can also be manipulated to adjust for lumbar support in a seat. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,474,358; 5,697,672; 5,988,745 and 6,152,531, European Patent No. 0128407A1 and UK patent application GB 2342287A (all commonly owned and hereby incorporated by reference) for examples of the prior art. All of these disclosures utilize a horizontal array of wires to provide support. Vertical elements only space the wires to distribute applied loads. Multiple attaching devices must be used to attach the devices to a frame in a seat to prevent unwanted twisting of the support.
All of these devices provide static support. They are all flexible enough to have their shape and tension altered dynamically by any of a variety of user control mechanism. These horizontal arrays address a constant industry need for controlling component cost. However, installation in various seat frames requires multiple mounting components especially when a dynamic capability is added. Moreover, the load bearing and tension control characteristics of horizontal wires, bent or straight, have low adaptability to various seat frames and to individual seat occupants.
Some of these horizontal devices utilize different shapes in the wires to increase the effective area providing support. None of the patents disclose the use of different diameter wires and different shapes to customize the response to an applied load.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,046 discloses a static system utilizing an array of vertically arranged wires to provide uniform support. This device also discloses one mechanism to change the profile of the support. This device does not disclose the use of different diameter wires and different bending patterns to customize the response to an applied load.
There is a need in the industry for a vertical wire array that controls component cost and provides greater adaptability of installed load bearing and tension response characteristics.